Single-Party Framework Agreement for the Provision of Contact Centre and Document Management Services and related services for the Residential Tenancies Board

Short description

The Contracting Authority proposes to engage in a competitive process for the establishment of a single-party framework agreement for the provision of Contact Centre and Document Management Service and related services to the Residential Tenancies Board. The successful tenderer will be able to demonstrate their ability in delivering a high-quality customer experience in meeting the short-term needs, as well as showcasing how their proposed model will support the RTB in evolving their service proposition to deliver against its cost and quality ambition in the mid and long term. The initial contract will cover the provision of services across all current contact channels, namely phone, e-mail, webchat and traditional whitemail. One of the critical objectives of this contract will be to work in partnership with the RTB to identify and implement improvements to reduce demand or manage it differently, so capacity can be created for growth and unnecessary spend can be minimised. The initial contract length is expected to be between three and five years, attached to a Framework Agreement of ten years.

Description of the procurement

The Contracting Authority proposes to engage in a competitive process for the establishment of a single-party framework agreement for the provision of Contact Centre and Document Management Service and related services to the Residential Tenancies Board. The successful tenderer will be able to demonstrate their ability in delivering a high-quality customer experience in meeting the short-term needs, as well as showcasing how their proposed model will support the RTB in evolving their service proposition to deliver against its cost and quality ambition in the mid and long term. The initial contract will cover the provision of services across all current contact channels, namely phone, e-mail, webchat and traditional whitemail. One of the critical objectives of this contract will be to work in partnership with the RTB to identify and implement improvements to reduce demand or manage it differently, so capacity can be created for growth and unnecessary spend can be minimised. The initial contract length is expected to be between three and five years, attached to a Framework Agreement of ten years.

Additional information

(1) Interested parties must associate their organisation with this competition on the eTenders web site (www.etenders.gov.ie) in order to be included on the mailing list for clarifications and to upload tender responses. To do this you must do the following: Log-in to the eTenders portal; Locate the competition using the Advanced Search by searching under the Contracting Authority or Resource ID. Click on the hyperlink for the competition which will bring you to the CfT Workspace. In the Show CfT Menu for the competition click on the “Expression of Interest in the drop-down menu. Complete the Association with the CfT tab. This will then provide you with a link to Tender under the Show CfT Menu where you can prepare your submission.
(2) When finalising your tender submission please upload your final response as a ZIP file as individual documents may lose their titles if uploaded individually. Also ensure that you receive a message under the status header called Submitted, as the percentage tab does not necessarily imply you have successfully submitted your response.
(3) There is a maximum upload limit of 250MB per file and 500MB per tender submission.
(4) Suppliers should note the following when making their submission suppliers must ensure that they give themselves sufficient time to upload & submit all required documentation before the submission deadline. Suppliers should consider the fact that upload speeds vary and that the new eTenders system operates in a different manner to the previous platform operated by EU-Supply. The submit button will be disable automatically upon the expiration of the response deadline.
(5) If you experience difficulty when uploading documents, please contact the eTenders Support Desk for technical assistance. Email irish-eproc-helpdesk@eurodym.com or Telephone: +353(0)818 001459 (09:00 – 17:00 hours).
(6) Tenders submitted by any other means (including but not limited to email, post, messaging system on etenders or hand delivery) will not be accepted.
(7) All information relating to attachments, including clarifications and changes, will be published on the Irish Government Procurement Opportunities Portal (www.etenders.gov.ie) only. Registration is free of charge. The contracting authority will not accept responsibility for information relayed (or not relayed) via third parties.
(8) All queries regarding this tender requirement or process must be submitted through the Irish Government Procurement Opportunities Portal www.etenders.gov.ie as a specific question. Responses will be circulated to those tenderers that have registered an interest in this notice on www.etenders.gov.ie. The details of the person making a query will not be disclosed when circulating the response
(9) The estimated value range for the framework is €30,000,000 - €40,000,000 (excluding VAT). It is emphasised, however, that these figures are provided strictly for indicative purposes only as there is no guaranteed expenditure under the framework agreement.
(10) The contracting authority will not be responsible for any costs, charges or expenses incurred by candidates or tenderers. Contract award will be subject to the approval of the competent authorities.
(11) Without prejudice to the principle of equal treatment, the contracting authority is not obliged to engage in a clarification process in respect of the procurement documents with missing or incomplete information. Therefore, respondents are advised to ensure that they return completed documentation in order to avoid the risk of elimination from the competition.
(12) Where applicable, please note in relation to all documents, that where reference is made to a particular standard, make, source, process, trademark, type, or patent, that this is not to be regarded as a de facto requirement. In all such cases it should be understood that such indications are to be treated strictly and solely for reference purposes only, to which the words "or equivalent" will always be appended.
(13) At its absolute discretion, the contracting authority may elect to terminate this procurement process, the framework agreement or any contract awarded under the framework agreement at any time.

In the case of framework agreements, provide justification for any duration exceeding 4 years

The justification for a framework longer than the standard four (4) years, is the complex nature of the services required; the consequent disruption to the day-to-day operations of RTB in acquiring and implementing any new service provider; the significant costs of implementing a change of service provider without having realised the benefits of an earlier investment and the uncertainty for the authority’s best interests due to more frequent change of service provider.